Any “initiation” is a first step into a new world. At IbogaLife, we are intimate with how the world of iboga may manifest for you. And we are uniquely experienced among iboga providers; our work has integrated our intimate knowledge of the medicine itself and the Bwiti framework for its administration.

A person coming to us for initiation is called “banzi”--a Bwiti term. Banzis go through a series of ceremonies leading up to the iboga initiation. Introduction to the forest connects the banzi's intent to the life of the forest and calls upon ancestors for support. preparation of spiritual baths occurs thereafter, a ceremony utilizing many plant materials from the forest with which the banzi will take a series of spiritual baths.

Initiation

The night of your initiation will be like no other in your life. We have carefully prepared the environment to be a traditional Bwiti service. We gather the ‘village’ together to support the banzis, with music and song, and traditional ceremonial Bwiti dress. You will experience the realities of iboga in a completely safe and supported environment.

The intense part of the journey lasts 6-8 hours. Vomiting is common, as is ataxia (heaviness, vertigo and loss of muscle control). Many people, though not all, experience dream-like visions, with few common experiences from person to person. After this “peak” most people experience a long period (8-24 hours) of deep introspection and “coming down.”

After a couple of days, you will come to your naming ceremony, where you will disclose what you wish of your visionary dreaming, from which we can determine your Bwiti name (combo). We end the initiation activities with a traditional dance party ceremony, shortly before your departure.

Bwiti at Ebando

We also encourage Bwiti-seekers to become initiated in Gabon at Ebando. Ebando provides a uniquely streamlined introduction to an extremely complicated country and culture. It’s not that there’s no better way to become acquainted with Gabon, but sometimes it seems to be the only way. Non-French speakers are welcome and accepted in very few places, there is no infrastructure to speak of and while the people are extremely friendly—especially Bwiti folk—there are not many opportunities for proper exploration of the culture. TataYo at the beach-side Ebando is truly the exception to the standard in Gabon.

He was the first Occidental to be initiated into the (then rigorously orthodox) Bwiti, Disumba branch. It is no exaggeration to say that he is one of the most highly regarded figures in Gabon, and he can be seen in many television programs shot in the country, usually billed as “our guide”! Indeed he knows the country intimately, speaks many of the ethnic languages, and can delve into the most remote areas of the country—where the Babongo and Baka tribes live in the deep bush.